


Sekukkulu

by tubofskippy



Series: Peanut Butter Prompts [7]
Category: The Book of Mormon - Parker/Stone/Lopez
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Holiday, Homesickness, cookie making!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 09:48:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13211211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tubofskippy/pseuds/tubofskippy
Summary: Winter prompt #2 - “My cookies are far better than yours.” “––This is the worst cookie I’ve ever eaten.” w/ Arnaba. Requested by @dodgisshipper on tumblr.





	Sekukkulu

It had been nearly a year since Arnold moved to Kitguli. Adjusting to life in Uganda definitely wasn’t what he thought it would be. Sometimes it was difficult - the lack of modern technology was something he expected of course, but it still gave him culture shock every now and then. He didn’t feel too out of touch though, he got along very well with the people there. It helped that most everyone in the village spoke English, but Arnold was making an effort to learn Swahili so as not to impose on their way of life. Nabulungi had been the biggest support to him these past few months. 

But as December rolled around, he started to feel more and more homesick. He would’ve brought it up with his fellow elders, but they treated the month as if it were just any other month. But December was more important to Arnold than it was to Kevin and Connor. He didn’t have the greatest relationship with his parents, but Christmastime was the only time he really felt close with his family. The only time his father rewarded him with gifts. He associated the holiday with love. It was especially hard to get into the holiday spirit in the sweltering heat, 8,000 miles away from his family. There weren’t even any pine trees in Uganda. No tinsel, no carolers, no scent of hot cocoa (well, it was too warm out for hot beverages anyway, but try telling Elder Price that), nothing really that reminded him of Christmas at all. 

Nabulungi caught him sitting secludedly outside of the living quarters, drawing something in the dirt with a stick. 

“What is it you are drawing?”

“S’a tree.”

“That’s a funny looking tree. What are those circles? Fruit?”

Arnold gave a pathetic giggle.

“They’re ornaments. Back in Utah, on December first we put up a tree in our living room every year and decorated it.”

Now it was Naba’s turn to giggle.

“Why?”

“I don’t really know. It’s a Christmas tradition in America.”

“Oh! Christmas is soon, isn’t it?” Nabulungi’s eyes lit up.

Arnold smiled at her, but it didn’t last.

“Yeah, just a few more weeks,” he said. His tone was flatter than usual.

“Then why do you look so sad?” Naba threw an arm around him. 

“I just… miss home, is all. I miss snow… n’ holiday traditions.”

“Oh. Well, you can be a part of our holiday traditions. Baba and I are going to prepare the best chicken Luwombo this year. Would you like to help?” 

“Wait, you mean, you celebrate Christmas here in Kitguli?”

“Yes! But here it is called Sekukkulu. Ever since our village abandoned Christianity, we no longer spend the day in the church, we skip straight to the fun part. It’s our favorite day of the year, we couldn’t possibly give up the celebration. We keep our best livestock all year for Sekukkulu, everybody eats and drinks until they cannot eat any more. After the feast it is time for storytelling, games, dancing, and singing… and everyone is very tired the next day. You will love it. Oh, Arnold I am so happy I’ll get to spend it with you!”

It definitely made Arnold feel better. 

“Thanks, Nabs.” He leaned against her lovingly, but it caught her off guard and almost made her topple over. “Sorry.” Naba gave up and just let him rest in her lap. “I’m looking forward to it! But… I guess right now I miss my own traditions.”

“Then we will do your traditions, too. Tell me, what would you be doing back in Oo-tah right now?”

Arnold stared up into her eyes. She was serious about this. It was cute. He stopped to think for a moment, warm memories flooding into his mind, showing through in the form of tears. He quickly wiped them away. He was just so touched that Naba cared this much. 

“Well.. I’d probably be making Christmas cookies with my mom––”

“Christmas cookies!” she shouted, putting both her hands on his upside down cheeks. 

“Uh, yesh––”

“Get up, Arnold! We are going to make cookies right now!” She darted out from underneath him, leaving his head on the dusty ground. He picked himself up, shaking his head and smiling. “Come on!” He had the villagers’ attention as he chased after her.

They reached her and Mafala’s kitchen - a table in the center, surrounded by bins and bins of ingredients, and a fireplace in the wall. Nabulungi grabbed a huge jar of sugar––one that was saved for rare occasions––and put it on the table. Then she got out a bag of sesame seeds.

“These are sim sim cookies,” she said, while pouring them into a bowl. 

“That’s it? That’s all of the ingredients?” Arnold asked, confusedly staring at the sugar and seeds. Naba nodded her head as she started the fire and hung the bowl over it. 

“I guarantee that my cookies are far better than yours,” she said, after the liquified mixture had been spread out onto a sheet. “I’ve been making them since I was like, three.” She cut a piece off for Arnold, who was expecting it to be brittle, but instead was warm and sticky. The tasteless seeds stuck everywhere onto his teeth. 

“This is the worst cookie I’ve ever eaten,” he said, laughing. Naba took offense to that, and playfully punched his shoulder. “Ok, ok, well, if I don’t count it as a real cookie, it’s actually pretty good!”

“Well then, how do you prepare cookies in Oo-tah?”

“With flour. And eggs. And butter. And brown sugar, and vanilla extract, and chocolate chips, and––”

“You are describing a heart attack,” she laughed. 

“But it sounds good, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah…”

“That’s ok, I don’t need ‘em anyways. I like this sugar-seed stuff,” he smiled, taking another bite of it.

“Sim sim cookie,” she corrected him.

“Same same thing.” It made her laugh. “Thank you for doing this with me. You’re the best.” Arnold gave her a big hug. “I can’t wait to spend Se… Se-ku-ku-lu-lu with you.”

She didn’t even try to correct him this time. She just embraced the hug as long as she could. He was nearly a part of her family by now. Arnold knew it, too. And it made the boiling holidays the opposite of insufferable for the both of them.

“Come on, let’s make more!” Arnold said, pouring the sugar into the bowl. “I wanna see Kevin’s face when he tries it.” 

Naba gladly helped him make more batches, and as the two began singing as they baked, Arnold almost forgot that “Oo-tah” even existed.


End file.
